NASCAR, year 2 (plus the beach)

 So this weekend, Steven and our friends and I took our (what is now annual) trip to Daytona for the NASCAR race, Coca-cola 400. It's definitely always interesting and fun (except for trying to find a cab on the way back to the hotel). 

We always start the day going to the beach and hanging out. This year I got pretty red though....I blame forgetting to reapply sunscreen to playing bochee ball. 

Then we head up some awesome food at our normal place (and play some shuffleboard). And to end it all, we head up to the race!

 One thing I love/hate about Florida, especially middle Florida are all the tourist traps. But they make for interesting photos. 

I also don't understand the oranges by the gas pumps..... it's really not kosher and freaked me out a bit.

 Below is our awesome group of friends. Gotta love the Nascar mustache.

 

And after the race, there was an amazing firework show. It was one of the best I've ever seen. 

 Although mine and Steven's guy, JG (Jeff Gordon for yall known Nascar folks) wrecked, I was okay with Jimmy Johnson winning.

 But the best part of the race was after the race and the fireworks, when a little yorkie pup made its way onto the track and tons of workers tried to catch him. The entire crowd cheered as the dog escaped their attempts and then cheered later when one of the workers actually caught the pup to take him back to his owners. 

Warning: below is me being emotional.....

so don't say I never warned ya!

I have to say, Nascar fans are one of a kind. 

And I do see why my dad liked it so much.

 Although, it made me sad that the crowd no longer holds up a 3 on the third lap in honor of Dale Earnhartd. He was my dad's favorite race car driver and died the same year as my dad. They were also the same age. So to not see a crowd of 3's made me feel like too much time has passed- like he's been somewhat forgotten. And the sap in me compares that to my dad- and the thought of anyone forgetting my dad makes me upset and even mad. How can people forget such a wonderful person? Especially when memories are all we are left- I don't want them to begin to fade. I don't want it to ever be okay not to hold up a 3- whether it's mainly for Dale or my dad, I don't care. I will do it every freaking time and I will remember how that year we lost so many people and the world greyed a little bit because of it.  But how the world is overall a better place because they were once a part of it. 

-the sap,

kel

my first Nascar experience

 This past weekend Steven and I met up with some friends in Daytona for the Coke Zero 400 Nascar race. (Phew, that was a mouth full).
We started the morning off at the beach, then pool, and then lunch. Then we tailgated. And tailgated some more. And then finally it was time for the race under the lights.

 It was a great day and a half vacation. But it was also a little bitter sweet. My dad was a huge Nascar fan. He went to the Daytona 500 just about every year. We had even talked about me going with him one year, I was just nervous about how loud it would be. It's been 11 years since he's died and I've never gone to a race even once, until this past weekend. The whole time I kept thinking about him and imagining what he would be doing if he were there with us. It was nice to finally experience one of his favorite things. I felt a little closer to him. And to make my heart melt a little more, during the first couple of laps, Steven could tell I was a little sad, so he leaned over and said maybe the sweetest things ever. He held up his drink and said "Let's cheers to John....and don't worry, he know's I'm going to take care of you."  Sometimes that guy just knows the perfect thing to say and do.

In the end, our guys (Jeff Gordon-,who I've had a crush on since I was 9, and Little E didn't end up winning). However, the big wreck of the night happened right in front of us on the last lap! No photos of that because my stupid phone died soon after the above photos were taken... But it was exciting, and since no one was hurt it was pretty awesome!

So until next year Nascar.......

-kel